America's First Constitution Dbq

Background Essay Questions:

1. The constitution was written in Philadelphia in 1787.

2. Two weaknesses of the Articles of the Confederation are there was no chief executive and no court system.

3. James Madisons big worry about framing a constitution was that “while the constitution be strong enough to serve the needs of the new nation and yet did not create tyranny?”

4. An example of tyranny by the few is when several generals or religious leaders seize control.

5. Constitution: A list of fundamental principles in which a state or organization is acknowledged to be governed.

Articles of Confederation: America's first constitution

Frame: Basic structure of a concept or system

Tyranny: oppressive rule by the government

Document A: Document

Analysis:
Central Government and State government are two pieces that make up Madison's compound government.
Federalism, is another word for compound government
It will provide double security because the different governments will control each other, and on top of that they will control themselves
There's a pattern in the types of power for the state government because all the rules and regulations are local, not nation wide.

Federalism guards against tyranny because it splits the power, which makes it so no one country can seize all the power.

Document B: Document Analysis:

Madison’s main idea is that if all powers combine tyranny will occur.

Yes, he believes if the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches combine tyranny will begin.

Executive- President; Judicial- Supreme Court; Legislative- Congress

He would not be happy, because he wants all 3 powers to be separated from each other; and that can't happen if there is 1 representative for 2 powers.

The separation of powers guards against tyranny because it separates the three branches, making sure no power is greater than the other.

Document C: Document Analysis:

Madison’s main idea is that each branch should check on each other, “may be the check on the other”

The house can impeach the president

The president can check the power of the Supreme Court by appointing its members.

The supreme court has the ability to declare laws

unconstitutional.
Framers guarded against tyranny by allowing each branch fair opportunity to stop the other branch(es) from doing anything unconstitutional.
Document D: Document Analysis:
The number of members in the house was determined by population
Delaware and Rhode Island only had one house representative
Virginia had the most representatives, 10
The larger states would have been happier because they have bigger populations than the smaller states. Since "the numbers of representatives shall not exceed for every thirty thousand". The larger states would have more representatives than the smaller states.
small states would have been happier with the senate because they would have two senators for each state.
The small state large state compromise guarded against tyranny because each state was able to have at least one or more representatives.

The constitution guarded against tyranny in the following three ways: Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, and Small/large state compromise.